Greece

91自拍论坛 Weekly/s Vivian Messimeris spoke with SYRIZA activist and pensioner Sissy Vovou in Athens about the effects of austerity and the hope a SYRIZA government brings. You can read all of the 91自拍论坛 reporting from Greece here and follow the 91自拍论坛 live blog on the elections . What impact have the austerity measures had on you?

SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras addresses supporters in Athens after winning the January 25 elections.

鈥淕reece is leaving behind the destructive austerity, fear and authoritarianism. It is leaving behind five years of humiliation and pain,鈥 SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras told a joyous crowd of flag-waving supporters after the radical left party won a large victory in the January 25 elections.

Alexis Tsipras celebrating with supporters after his victory speech.

Thousands gathered to watch SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras give his victory speech in front of Athens University on the night of Jaunary 25, after SYRIZA won the Greek elections with more than 36% of the vote.

Welcome to 91自拍论坛's live election blog for the Greek Elections! Dick Nichols, Vivian Messimeris and Athanasios Lazarou will be updating live from Athens throughout the day. Voting has just begun in Athens and the big news is that the Coalition of the Radical Left party, SYRIZA, are widely believed to be set for a historic victory over the current New Democracy government. Led by the young and charismatic Alexis Tsipras, SYRIZA are set to become the first left wing party to hold power in Europe for decades and will be the first anti-austerity party to come to power in the Eurozone.
Vivian Messimeris giving solidarity greeting to SYRIZA meeting

A crowd of about 80 people gathered to hear SYRIZA candidates speak at an outdoor meeting held in the suburb of Ambelokipi. Several candidates spoke passionately about the need for change, the need for action and the need for self-reliance.

Volunteers at Solidarity Clinic in Peristeri.

Today we visited one of the solidarity clinics that operates in the suburb of Peristeri. We met with some of the volunteers that work in the clinic that included two doctors as well as other activists.

Hara Petsiou, a cleaner

Vivian Messimeris is part of the 91自拍论坛 Weekly team covering the elections in Greece, which polls give radical left group SYRIZA a strong chance of winning on January 25. She spoke to Hara Petsiou, a cleaner sacked from her job at the finance ministry. The sacked cleaners are fighting for their jobs.

91自拍论坛 Weekly journalist Vivian Messimeris, in Greece as part of 91自拍论坛's team reporting on the country's crucial January 25 elections, spoke to people in Athens on the elections and the likelihood of a win by radical left group SYRIZA. You can read more coverage of Greece and the elections here. *** Manolis Litsioltis Pensioner
In the days ahead of Greece's January 25 general elections, all signs point to victory for the Alexis Tsipras-led Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA). The big unknown is whether the party will win an absolute majority in the 300-seat Greek parliament, freeing it from the need to negotiate with minority parties and ending the chance of a further national poll in case negotiations fail.
Speakers from the SYRIZA -- the radical left force poised to win Greece's January 25 general elections -- addressed the topic of 鈥淗ow To Recover From Unemployment鈥 and the role of the Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) in Athens on January 20. The meeting was addressed by SYRIZA candidates Despina Spanou, Dimitrios Stratoulis and Nazos Iliopoulos, as well Maria Karamesini, a SYRIZA member and economics lecturer at Panteio University.
Speakers from the SYRIZA -- the radical left force poised to win Greece's January 25 general elections -- addressed the topic of 鈥淗ow To Recover From Unemployment鈥 and the role of the Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) in Athens on January 20. The meeting was addressed by SYRIZA candidates Despina Spanou, Dimitrios Stratoulis and Nazos Iliopoulos, as well Maria Karamesini, a SYRIZA member and economics lecturer at Panteio University.
SYRIZA manifesto.

Greece will hold elections on January 25, which polls indicate are likely to be won by the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA), which campaigns against the brutal austerity that has caused widespread misery across Greece.